Video Links
- Larry Drew post-game talking about the Magic's defensive pressure.
- Stan Van Gundy on his team's effort in Game 2.
- Jamal Crawford looks at the Hawks' performance and what they need to do in Game 3.
- The reigning Defensive Player of the Year talks defense.
William Sevidal of Soaring Down South reminds us that this is still anyone's series.
Bret LaGree of Hoopinion is not a fan of Larry Drew's decision to deploy Josh Powell just three minutes into the game.
No team deserves to win a playoff game when they put Josh Powell in before three minutes have passed. If that misappropriation of resources (and even categorizing Josh Powell as a resource seems wrong)
Al Horford talks about sitting out the entire first half.
"It is tough. I was out of rhythm by the time I came in the second half. It took me a while to get going. It’s one of those things. The team played well but we missed some shots."
Evan Dunlap of Orlando Pinstriped Post gives an Orlando point of view to Larry Drew's frontcourt rotation:
Indeed, the way Drew doled out his frontcourt minutes will come into question here. Leaving two end-of-the-bench types alone to fend with the league's best center is one thing, but benching one's own best player for almost the entire first half is another. Al Horford picked up his second personal foul just 2:10 into the game, which prompted Drew to pull Horford for the rest of the half. The trickle-down effect it had on Atlanta's rotation left it without a reliable offensive big man. On a night when Johnson (6-of-15, 14 points), Marvin Williams (1-of-6, 4 points) and Kirk Hinrich (4-of-12, 9 points) struggled to produce from the wings, Atlanta needed another scorer.
Eddy Rivera says that defense was the key to the Magic's victory.
The key in the Magic’s win was the defense. There were times when Atlanta had their way offensively, especially in the fourth quarter when they made their run. But the third quarter is an example of the type of suffocating defense that Orlando is capable of displaying when everyone is engaged. The Hawks scored 12 points in the period.